


Mere Chess Pieces

by Nicholicious



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Complicated love triangle, F/F, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Medieval AU, More Ships to come, Most Everyone is 15 years younger, Rating May Change, Romance, Some Plot, Some magic, Sun Worship, more tags to come, somewhat slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-01-24
Packaged: 2018-09-19 03:27:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9416039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicholicious/pseuds/Nicholicious
Summary: The Ardent Kingdom's Spring festival brought a great many visitors from distant lands, there to see the wondrous green pastures and thickly decorated castle in honor of the Sun and it's seasonal transition.One certain year, such visitor's true intentions intertwine with one another's in what must be fate.(A Medieval AU using Overwatch characters. Some of the divergence is canon.)





	1. Where to Start

**Author's Note:**

> Alrighty, here's a taste at what I've prepared so far for m' medieval AU. I'm open to ship suggestions, no matter how scandalous.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Far from home and under his father's orders, an Eastern Prince begins his search in an unfamiliar land.

On the first day of the Spring festival, braziers were alight all over town. Everyone was lively; Some people danced, some sang. Some smiled.

Some starved.

Doing his best to avoid any sort of scene, a young man meandered along the cobblestone path that led to the castle courtyard. Huts and houses lined the road on either side, protected by tall castle walls that surrounded the city. His eyes flicked back and forth from beneath the black cloak that hid his angular gray crown and sophisticated white robes. The robes were held tight by a silver belt, and opened in a v-shape, exposing a steel chest plate.

"You are not of Ardenta," someone had noticed how on-edge he was. Calm features met a prepared gaze.

The man who stopped him was bald, although not without a beard. He wore baggy yellow pants that cuffed his ankles to show his sandals, a thick red cloth draped over his shoulder and into his pants to conceal most of his chest. "I can see the experience you will gain here will forever change you, and the lives of those around you."

The Prince scoffed and moved along. 

Ardenta's land had been welcoming enough. The trip from the east had been nothing short of pleasant as the boy traveled on horseback along wide, green fields and through open forests. Nature never truly entranced him the way it did others; the horse was just thrilling.

The sheath of his slightly-curved sword clapped lightly against his leg, reminding him of some of the more dangerous roads he had walked just to get where he was. Thankfully, the steps leading up to his primary destination were well-watched over.

Reaching the front gates of the palace's courtyard, he lowered his hood, convinced seizing his target would take a little more than just eyeing faces as he walked along the streets.

He was unaware of it then, but just how much he had underestimated the time he'd spend in Ardenta was far off even still.

Approaching the guards, men clad in bannered knights' armor, he stood tall and proud as they bowed before him. 

"Welcome, Your Greatness. Our lord awaits you."

~+~

The massive - especially vertically - palace held many wide rooms and spiral staircases.

But the Prince had seen enough stairs. After reaching what was a high room - though it likely was not the top floor - he could finally see the fabled King of Ardenta. He could retrieve clues that might lead to what from his family was stolen.

A stone throne with golden trimming and a red banner befalling from top to bottom sat at the head of the rectangular throne room. Pillars lined the walls, and between them a long maroon carpet indicated the straight path taken to receive audience with the King. 

These Ardent north-westerners had a very separate concept of royalty, at least in appearance, the Prince thought. Comparing it to home, there was far more grey. Lord Wilhelm himself was said to prefer casual clothing, however to find anything his size was rare. As of then, he was dressed in a modest noble garb. The Prince took several steps forth.

He was only meters from the King, who dismissed a servant before acknowledging the boy grandly. "Prince Shimada." They had heard of one another, but this was their first true encounter. "Or do you prefer Sir Genji...?"

Genji knew what the king referred to. Everyone asked for the same reason; as the second-born child, Genji was not the heir to the Eastern Kingdom. The title of Prince meant nothing more than royal blood if he couldn't lead his bloodline, couldn't govern he future of his own _home_.

He stretched an arm out to his side and placed the other along his chest, granting a fancy bow to the seated King, grinning cockily despite his current company. "Lord Wilhelm. It is an honor."

A peculiar little thing that stood beside the king, which Genji examined. She was not too close to be an intimate relative, but near enough to be clearly seeking protection. 

Lord Wilhelm patiently moved on with business, speaking gruffly as ever. "What brings you so far west, Prince Shimada? Knowing your family, you are here for more than the festivities, I gather?"

Genji put visible effort into looking back to the king. "I seek an outlaw who supposedly possesses a relic of my family's," the boy mused in his Eastern accent, "Would you, my dear King, happen to know the whereabouts of a certain Jesse McCree?"

Reinhardt simply hummed, although it sounded more akin to a growl. "I am unaware of his location. We have received reports of multiple false sightings, I'm afraid-"

The King was interrupted by an annoyed groan. 

"You mean to tell me I came all this way-"

"-Now, boy, watch your tongue-"

"-And you don't even _have_ him?"

The King narrowed his eyes, arising, standing tall. He spoke a warning, somehow shedding a hint of friendliness with it. "Might I remind you of whose presence you share, Prince Shimada?"

Genji's eyes returned to the young lady positioned near the King. She wore an elegant white and orange-brown dress, with a flowery laurel lining her partially-pulled-back blonde hair. She was standing arms-crossed and her blue eyes soon returned Genji's gaze.

"You might."

She huffed, frowning and blushing as she turned away.

Even with their common use of such dull greys, the Ardent's fondness of gold and white was growing on the Prince.

"I would search the town for the fugitive, with your permission, _my lord._ " 

The King, ever the saint, merely nodded to the playboy.

Nothing but a smile at his own victory. "I will return." With that promise, Genji carelessly strolled out.

"Angela, dear, thank you for staying. I apologize for keeping you, you are free to go." 

Lady Ziegler watched the Prince carefully on his way to the door before responding to her King warmly. "It is never a bother, Lord Wilhelm." 

A feeling itching at the back of the blonde's mind lead her out as well. One single motion from Reinhardt, and her guards sought slowly after her.

Reinhardt sighed, left alone in the throne room. The silence didn't last as he heard someone ushering another woman's well-paced footsteps to a side entrance.

Now in view, she cleared her throat. "You have quite the patience to tolerate that boy, my Lord," she joked.

"Ah, Lady Amari." He kept himself from beaming too hard at her as she approached and, with his nod of approval, stood on her tip-toes and straightened his crown.

"I have been King a great long while, such that I am afraid no personality surprises me anymore." Aged 49 years and still living to tell his own tales, Reinhardt had seen much, but he had also ruled during times of quiet peace. "It is a shame I have yet to find an heir. No children..." The usually hearty King's eyes were downcast.

Lady Amari kept whatever she had to say to herself.

_Quite the patience indeed._

~+~

He could have scoured a sizeable portion of the town already, had he known where to start.

 _Bah. As if the man would be on the streets, in the open, after whatever it is he stole._

All Genji knew was that it didn't matter if what Jesse McCree took was valuable; no one stole from House Shimada and got away with it.

Trying to compose some sort of plan, he waited in the castle courtyard before hunting. Although the courtyard had an apparent lack of civilians, the area was filled with colorful banners of the Sun, signifying the celebration of Ardenta's Spring festival. He watched guards walk about for a period of time until he heard the faint clacks of heels against stone. 

The blonde woman from before stood near him in a moment. "Prince Shimada?"

He turned. "Genji, if you would, your highness." Grinning boyishly, he bowed once more, to which she rolled her eyes, although he thought he spotted amusement.

Genji walked, and she followed.

She spoke professionally. "I am Lady Ziegler-"

"Tsk, tsk." The Prince teased, "I tell you my first name, and you give me your title?"

They stopped at the courtyard's front gates.

She wasn't used to such... informalities. It would take more to sway her.

Brushing herself off, she gestured to the gates. "I have one request for you, Prince Shimada." Their eyes met.

"...Which is?"

She realized she had let the silence move on for longer than socially acceptable. She didn't talk much on typical occasion. "I see you carry a weapon. Ardenta is at time of prosperity for much of the population, and I wanted to ask that you do not disrupt our celebrations with any bloodshed. Other than this, I only hoped to introduce myself, as well as wish you safe passage among all of the laughter and festivities in Ardenta. It can be... wild."

An eyebrow raised. "And if I _like_ wild, my lady?"

She hid her shock. He was far different from other boys of his class, she figured, but she didn't converse with royalty often. "Then it was nice meeting you," she responded, leaving him be, which inspired him to hesitantly leave the courtyard. He had a task to do, anyways.

Genji began by asking around, eventually resigning his search in hopelessness. He punched a wall in frustration, leaving a dent in someones home. His actions went unnoticed among the festive Ardent partygoers.

Genji walked along until a familiar voice nagged him for the second time that day.

"You will not reach enlightenment lest you leave your objective to pure chance. Be patient, and what you seek will come to you."

The Prince sighed as he stopped to return fire, only to be cut off before he could even speak. 

"Wait." The bald monk held up a hand, listening to something.

"What could possibly-"

Hurried footsteps came along as a man snatched Genji's crown. The thief immediately sprint-limped down an alley.

Genji briefly gave an accusing stare to the monk, only to see him walking off with a shrug. 

The Prince chased after his crown, rounding corners moments after the criminal. "Guards!" He called as he ran. 

A stone jutted out from the side of a rock-brick home, which Genji used for a foothold in order to leap and grab the edge of a shorter house's roof, swinging up swiftly. 

The thief quickly came into view, and so he continued his pursuit along rooftops, hoping to cut his target off. When compared to the Eastern Kingdom's style of house, Ardenta contained far more simple houses of stone brick and wood paneling. Where he was from, houses were often at least treated with red trims, however as a foreigner here, he could identify their less luxurious standards. After leaping from several homes, he slid down a tiled slant on his rear, about to land right in front-

He looked left. He looked right. He turned around.

The monk held the crown in one hand and restrained the thief's two hands behind his back in the other. 

Bewilderment - although he tried to hide it - tainted Genji's features. He snatched his crown, watching the man struggle in the monk's hand before he let go. Guards appeared, and Genji pointed to the criminal, still watching the monk suspiciously. "Inform the King of my request that man is put in the dungeon," he commanded.

A few guards scowled at the Prince's authoritative tone. He was not their king, and he didn't speak kindly enough to ever be.

All eyes were placed onto the man who was to be put in captivity. He hunched far forward, but if he was standing at full height, the twitching man would likely tower over his captors. His failed heist didn't appear to bother him, as he laughed without bitterness. "You'll regret this, Princey. Just like y' father regrets-!"

After a firm smack to the back of the head, he quit running his mouth off. A maniacal giggle echoed from the guards' new prisoner as they returned to their duties with him in tow. Genji noted that his limp was resulting from a shaft of solid wood in the place of his lower right leg.

Whatever insult was going to come did not lead Genji to any physical angry extremes, although his face contorted in disgust as he watched the guards leave and fastened his crown back onto his head, pushing some of his locks of raven-esque hair back.

Only he and the Monk remained in the alley. 

"It is clear that much of your kingdom does not welcome my presence," he began, "so I demand your motives."

"I see potential within you," the monk uttered cryptically. "My name is Tekhartha Zenyatta. Come, you'll need a place to stay the night if you wish to complete your search."

"Zenyatta..." Genji pondered. "You - you are of the revered Shambali monks? From the frozen mountains in the Red Kingdom?" 

His new mentor was already walking off with his back to him.

Sighing, he had no choice but to follow.

"Hold on, then!"


	2. Newcomers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the second day of the Spring festival, a group of darker figures show up to visit Ardenta.
> 
> The two events, however, are unrelated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Here's t' introducing more characters. Comment your thoughts c:

Pushing a maroon curtain aside, Angela watched the palace courtyard's gates open from three stories above.

What she saw was almost frightening, but more than anything, she was curious to find out what the newest additions to the castle's guest rooms would be. There was eight of them that she could see, four of which were identical knights in black armor that appeared to be dragging a fifth man along. Among the other three was a woman in a short-skirted dress and light armor decorated with several priceless purple gems, about a third of her hair shaved while the rest was swept to her right side. She carried a mischievous smirk. Another woman walked with them as well, her long dark hair pulled into a high ponytail. Everything about her was graceful, from her sway in her walk to the light smile her features bore. She wore somewhat tight ebony robes with dark steel gauntlets and boots, and she was speaking to the man who led the whole group.

In the front of them all was someone Lady Ziegler had heard about; Lord Gabriel of Claws. All three of the obvious leaders had tanned skin, although Gabriel's was not soft. His face was hardened, always on edge, bearing a couple scars. He had a sword sheathed on both of his sides.

The woman in the black robes had caught Angela's eye, winking at her. She closed the curtains so that the woman would look away, embarrassed, and once she believed the coast was clear, she took one more peek.

Gabriel wore armor similar to the knights behind them, but with no helmet. Runes were engraved in the chest plate, though whatever their meaning may have been, Lady Ziegler wasn't sure.

Before she could get a good look at their prisoner, they had reached the palace's large doors, out of her sight.

Sighing, she placed her laurel atop her head and straightened her dress, preparing to accompany the King in introducing themselves to the strangers.

~+~

Their armored feet clicked against the marble of the castle interior. They were greeted by a maid who had been conversing with the castle's alchemist. 

"I am Ana Amari." She apologized to her friend. "If you'll excuse me, Lady Vaswani," she began, looking over the darkly armored crowd before her, "You... seek audience with the King?" Gabriel nodded sternly. "Come, I will take you to him."

Lord Gabriel addressed his guards and their prisoner. "Keep the ingrate here." Bitterness laced every word. Miss Amari started leading them up a spiral staircase, and just as they got onto the stairs, he spoke lowly. "We'll be back."

Someone at his side giggled. "Sir, I'm pretty sure after all the trouble you had catching that guy, a few guards won't do much good at keeping him here." 

Gabriel growled. "Sombra..."

A hand was placed on his shoulder to hold him at bay. "Now, then, children." The voice was not older than they were, but it was rather amused, and full of reason; "There is not any need for further bickering. We have a job to do, no?"

The others were silenced for the rest of their short trek, though Sombra stuck her tongue out at Gabriel behind his back.

Finally they walked across a long red carpet to the King's throne, the two women sharing a look as Gabriel picked up his pace, moving further ahead.

" _Reinhardt Wilhelm._ " He and the blonde beside him turned their heads towards the slightly raspy voice.

The King's eyes were full of surprise as he tried to formulate a response. "You... your kingdom was-"

"Claws wasn't _my_ kingdom. The divided people's protests made sure of that. We may have been divided then, but now..." Gabriel's hands formed fists at his sides. "I made it with what I had, Wilhelm. The castle and it's villages are in tatters. And I am here now, reintroducing myself as a lord of a no-mans-land, to request your kingdom's assistance against..." he paused to take a breath. "Against the armies of the Red."

Around the room, people murmured. Sometime in the middle of Gabriel's speech, Prince Shimada entered the throne room, leaning on a pillar as he waited.

Reinhardt held a hand up and the room fell quiet. He offered no initial answer, instead humming typically while he considered what Gabriel was asking for.

He pointed to the two followers the Lord of Claws had. "And who have you brought with you?"

"Sombra." She gave no further explanation, curtsying and stopping there.

 _Unusual name,_ Reinhardt thought. He moved on.

Noticing all eyes were now on her, the other woman bowed skillfully. Her form of enunciation was unlike anything many of them had heard. "Madame Amelie Lacroix, your highness."

Reinhardt nodded. "A pleasure meeting you both."

Before anyone else could say a word, Madame Lacroix gestured to Angela. "And you must be the princess?"

She looked to Reinhardt for permission to speak, who mouthed the words _of course_.

She took a step forward, keeping a confident posture. "My name is Lady Ziegler. I am merely the King's ward." When she remained silent, Reinhardt elaborated. "Her parents served Ardenta well, and succeeded at their task at the cost of their lives. I have watched over Lady Ziegler ever since."

Madame Lacroix caught her eye yet again. "My condolences. I apologize for my mistake. I suppose..." she chuckled, "your beauty misled me. Your appearance fits that of a princess."

Angela smiled and didn't break eye contact. "Oh." 

Clearing his throat, Genji had enough. Ending the warm encounter, he spoke up hastily from the side of the room. "Pardon my interruption." Gabriel scoffed. "I happened to notice you hold a man in the main hall. The same man I seek."

"Indeed we do." Gabriel responded. "And?"

"I demand you provide me custody of Jesse McCree."

"You Eastern royalty, you think you're all that," Gabriel spat, "As if you're in any position to make demands of me, _Sir_ Shimada." 

Reinhardt stood from his throne to take action before swords were fully drawn. "Neither of you possess the authority to dictate the bloodshed that will take place in my palace. I ask of you to compromise."

Gabriel wasn't having it. "I bet he hasn't made a compromise his whole life."

"As if I would stand here and take that-"

"Come here and I'll show you how you take it!"

"Gentlemen!" Lord Wilhelm boomed. Miss Amari held a faltering hand up to him, which he alone noticed without openly acknowledging. He then spoke much quieter, but with just as much bite. "Calm yourselves, before I have you _both_ exiled."

The men huffed, Genji having moved away from the wall at this point.

Madame Lacroix broke the silence. "You can put together an agreement, can you not? Perhaps there is something you both desire...?"

A tense moment passed, Sombra obviously suppressing a laugh.

Gabriel took his hands off of his sheathed swords. "I'll tell you what, boy. You can have the fool, on one condition..."

Everyone leaned in to listen when Gabriel watched the King from the corner of his eye.

"I want Ardenta's aid in reclaiming my home."

That was enough for the King. Stepping away from his throne without taking his eyes off the Lord of Claws, he spoke to everyone in his presence. "Gabriel, remain there. Everyone else,"

Miss Amari was about to plead with the King. "Reinhardt-"

"Out."

~+~

The hall just outside of the throne room was almost as decorated as the courtyard. Guards and visitors alike filed out of the throne room and into the hall, cramping the place up. Amelie spied a door to a balcony, and took the opportunity to get some fresh air just as Sombra had taken the opportunity to snicker about the "overly dramatic old men."

Removing her glove from her right hand, she examined her skin as she rested her elbows on the balcony railing. The especially intricately designed gauntlet on her left hand trailed her bare knuckles before lowering both arms to the railing and looking out at the town of Ardenta. Twisting the silver ruby spider ring on her right index finger, she sighed.

" _Gerard..._ "

A cool breeze swept a stray strand of hair into her face, which she ignored.

"Ahem," A sweet little voice piped up behind her. "Greetings."

She put her lightly armored glove back on, her expression growing merry as she rotated to address the King's ward. "Ah, Lady Ziegler. I did not hear you follow..."

"I meant no fright," the blonde prepared to leave, however a hand grasping hers halted such a motion.

"It would be nice to converse with someone besides my bumbling allies. Besides, I've only just made your acquaintance. Stay." Releasing Lady Ziegler, Amelie gestured to the railings, leaning on them once more. Angela was soon at her side.

They were granted a wonderful view of the festival below them, and could hear chant-like praise erupting from gleeful crowds. "Again, I am sorry for my misunderstanding. I had no intention to pry on family matters."

"It is no problem, you - you justified your actions well."

"Is that right?"

Lady Ziegler chortled softly, glancing from the festivities below them to the woman beside her. "Do you think, perhaps, you could tell me more about the land you hail from? If it is no bother."

Amelie hummed, pondering, then she answered. "Claws had a variety of cultures, and was once under grand leadership. Such a prosperous community, as it has always been, and at the center of this land us four kingdoms share. Long ago, dark mineral was mined for usage in the construction of our homes, weapons and just about everything else. It comprised the base for our society. Our proficiency in mining led us to decorate in whatever colorful gems we could find. We had such a beautiful city..." she paused, dripping with melancholy that she quickly brushed off when Lady Ziegler rubbed her arm in comfort.

"But a feud between Lord Gabriel and our previous King based completely on rumors brought the inner works of our palace tumbling down. The council - which your King often acted as part of - was in shambles. Gabriel did his best to rule in our old King's absence, although his efforts were short-lived. No one trusted each other. To top the events off, the Red laid siege on our home with impeccable timing, which leads many to the conjecture that there was some sort of conspiracy. I would not be surprised if our homes were all frozen over by Zhou's forces as of now."

Angela shivered at the mere thought of the Red. Again, she had never seen any of them, only heard what little information had made it this far regarding the icy kingdom in the north. 

"Thank you. I understand if it is hard. It is rare that I learn anything from a primary source while holed up in this cage," she complained.

Madame Lacroix was quizzical. "You are tired of living in the palace?"

Lady Ziegler's own words registered to herself a moment later. "In a way... yes. I wish..." Thinking about it frustrated her. "I'm not sure what I want." She shrugged.

"You wish for freedom? Adventure?"

Angela tread carefully. "I... guess... although I have little experience with any sort of thing."

Amelie chuckled. "Perhaps I could teach you a thing or two," she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Anyways, I may at the very least put your mind at rest by letting you know that life in Ardenta will certainly become exciting within the next week."

"The parade _is_ coming up," Angela assumed.

The sable acrobat opened her mouth, then paused. "Yes. The parade."

A knock on the open door behind them diverted their attention.

Sombra was examining her nails in the doorframe. "Lacroix, we're gonna be here for a while. Gabe is being stubborn, so we've got rooms in the palace, if you wanna come check 'em out."

"Of course. Lady Ziegler-"

"Oh, please. Call me Angela, Madame Lacroix."

"Then you may call me Amelie." She bowed, taking and kissing the back of the blonde's hand. "I hope you find what you are looking for. Angela."

Angela blushed, and the two curtsied good-bye.

Lady Ziegler watched them go before she re-entered the hall, heading to her own quarters when she spotted Genji seated, eyes on the floor, anxiously tapping his foot. Something had been bugging her.

"Prince Shimada?" His head darted up to look at her. "Lord Gabriel spoke to you in such a way that was... out of hand. Why didn't you, ah, retaliate?"

He must have been ready for this conversation, because his response was almost immediate. "I would have reached for my sword, had I not thought of you, and the promise I made."

"Genji..."

He would not look at her.

"Even if Gabriel made no such promise." With that, the Prince rose from his seat, rushing to the many stairs that descended to ground level.

And so Angela was alone yet again.

~+~

Climbing a final set of steps, he inserted his new key and entered the stone-brick hut just outside the palace walls.

Genji removed his bracers from both hands, setting them aside onto the short table by the door. He was at his home. A temporary one, but he had grown fond of Master Zenyatta's choice of color, even if he didn't fully trust the monk. 

The hut was tall like many other constructs in Ardenta, light sifting through the yellow stained-glass windows near the ceiling, illuminating the dust that swirled around. The wood braces in the corners between the stone-brick walls were colored red on the inside, reminding Genji of his home in the East.

He spied his new friend - who he was reluctant to call Master - atop a ladder fishing through a bookshelf. Without even looking, the monk knew of his student's return."What was your perception of the newcomers?"

Stretching, the Prince groaned. "Not all too friendly, I'm afraid. They refused to give McCree up."

"And the woman in your dreams?"

"Yes, Lady Ziegler was there." Zenyatta narrowed his eyes. "I made no attempt to flirt, I swear. One other woman, as well..."

"Too much attachment _can_ possibly be healthy, although it may have consequences," the monk chided all-knowingly.

Genji waved his hands in the air. "Not like that! What I mean is, the other woman was in my dream, too."

"Hmm..." Zenyatta buzzed. "I sense she is not the last person on your mind that you will soon cross paths with. Nor are the remnants of Claws the last to join us during this time of sun-praise."

There was no excruciatingly extensive list of people on Genji's mind. Only recently-discovered allies, the Clawsmen - who he had already met, and family.

 _Oh,_ he thought.

_Family._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Whatcha think? My apologies for the slow burn, but like, with a multi-chapter au, its kinda hard to skip straight to fluff. also, i have a moderate amount of plot lined up, which doesnt make it any easier. i'm takin my time.
> 
> P.S. Claws is indeed a play on Talon


End file.
